Ashland Academy
by PhantomInvader
Summary: It's time for school in Ashland. When a new guy with an eye for Coraline shows up, Wybie becomes suspicious of his intentions, especially when his actions begin to remind him of someone that Coraline calls "The Beldam". WxC, Movie Based.
1. Prologue

**I'm having enough trouble updating my current stories. So what do I do? I write a different story for a completely different fandom. I'm digging my own grave. It's actually kinda fun.**

**The Coraline Movie was epic. So there.**

**WybiexCoraline forever.  
**

* * *

It was the very last day of summer in the small town of Ashland, Oregon. Not many children lived in said town, honestly, but none of the few that did were looking forward to another nine months of forced educational imprisonment. Despite all the complaining that was made clear to her, though, Coraline Jones was convinced that it was she who hated the idea most of all. First of all, she had to wear a stupid gray uniform, which, despite her much desired new gloves, was still very unappealing.. Next, she had no idea what the place was going to be like, and last but not least, she didn't know anyone there.

"Hey, Jonesy!"

Well, maybe she knew one person.

Coraline stopped walking through the Pink Palace Apartments garden to look back at the boy who had called her name. Well, her nickname. The low growl of his homemade motor bike assured her that it was indeed her neighbor, Wybourne Lovat. With a horrifying trifocal skeleton mask and matching gloves, anyone but Coraline would be terrified of the monster-like figure speeding toward her, but the girl looked particularly unaffected by his odd choice of dress.

Wybie's motorbike slowed to a stop as he got closer to her, and he lifted up his mask, revealing the mop of dark curly hair that framed his face, and, by the looks of how bushy it was, added at least two inches to his height.

"Check out what me and Cat found," Wybie began, stumbling slightly in his rush to dismount his bike. Aforementioned cat hopped off the back of the bike and weaved in between Coraline's legs, giving her a meow that she took as a greeting. Coraline looked back up at Wybie only to come face to face with a snail that was just inches away from her nose.

"Ack!" Coraline, stumbled back half a step, her expression disgusted, "don't do that!"

"May I introduce you to Super Snail," Wybie announced, and Coraline laughed as he did an imitation of Mr. Bobinski announcing his Mouse Circus, "my latest gastropod companion."

"What happened to Slugzilla?" Coraline asked, "you run him over with your bike?"

"No," Wybie looked offended, but Coraline stared back at him in disbelief, "it just so happens that Grandma stepped on him."

"Uh-huh," Coraline quirked an eyebrow, and she knew why Wybie had come to her with the snail, "you got your camera?"

"Yup!" Wybie handed her the dingy old camera, "I could use a new one…" he murmured to himself.

"You mean _I _could use a new one," Coraline corrected him as she positioned the camera, "I use this thing more than you do."

"Point taken."

"Now, strike a pose, Lovat," Coraline snickered as Wybie once again pulled off enough grotesque and hilarious poses to fill a photo album. You'd be surprised to see what one can do with a snail.

"If you don't make it as a…techno, mechanical geek thing, you could have an exciting career as a model." Coraline chuckled.

"Oh really?" Wybie crossed his arms and smirked.

"Yeah, so long as they don't take any pictures of your face."

Wybie frowned, "you're hilarious."

"Why thank you," Coraline took a bow, her blue hair falling over her face in the process. When she rose up once again she tried to blow her bangs out of her eyes. Wybie began to laugh, and in return she shoved him.

"Did you just shove me, Jonesy?" he asked her, scowling, "I _know _you did not just shove me."

"I might've," Coraline said coolly, "did it feel like this?" She gave him another playful push.

"Nah, felt more like this," Wybie pushed her back, and Coraline, unprepared, fell on her butt in the dirt.

Cat merely sat on a nearby stone watching the two, his eyes glittering with amusement as Wybie made the mistake of holding out his hand to help her up. The tenacious Coraline pulled him down on the ground with her. They glared at each other for a moment, but soon burst out laughing.

Both Wybie and Coraline had been rather unfriendly when they first met. Coraline thought Wybie talked too much, and Wybie thought Coraline was interesting, but way too negative about when she had first moved to the Pink Palace Apartments. However, the two had grown closer as Coraline got settled in to her new home, but the clincher had been that, well, Wybie had saved her life.

Shortly after Coraline had moved to Ashland, she had stumbled upon another world. Another world where everything in her life was better, more exciting, but one that was quickly revealed to be a spider web built to ensnare her. When she had come to Wybie for help, he didn't believe her in the least, and it hadn't helped when she threw her shoes at him either. But whatever he did or did not believe, he saw that Coraline was in trouble that night, and saved her. She saved him too, of course, but in a different way. She was the first kid he had ever known that didn't like him at first sight, but then began to tolerate him. That was a victory for him, an odd one, but a victory nonetheless.

"So," Wybie began after he and Coraline stopped laughing, "you ready for school?"

Coraline sighed and frowned, "no. I don't want to go to school here."

"Would you rather be back in, uh…" Wybie trailed off.

"Pontiac." Coraline finished, "and no. Don't wanna go to school there, either. But there we don't have uniforms."

"The uniforms aren't so bad." Coraline could easily tell Wybie was lying through his teeth.

"Bet they make you take off your mask."

"Well yeah," Wybie admitted, "but I really only needed it in elementary school anyway. Scaring first graders was cool."

"Sixth grade is gonna suck," Coraline went on, "I heard so from my cousin."

"Is this the cousin that has seven Chihuahuas, or the one that washes his hands too much?" Wybie asked. He had learned in the months he had known Coraline that she had a rather eccentric extended family.

"The one that's convinced her rabbit talks to her." Coraline said indifferently.

"Maybe she's not the best source."

"Yeah, you're right." Coraline muttered, "but that doesn't mean it won't suck."

"Come on, you'll make a bunch of friends, and then you won't be forced to hang with me anymore." Though Wybie smiled as he said this, Coraline could tell he wasn't to excited about that fact.

"Eh, maybe in my busy schedule I could find time to help you look for…whatever it is you wanna look for next."

"I dunno, I'm thinking snakes. Snakes would be cool, as long as Grandma doesn't see them."

"As long as I don't see them either," Coraline stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Snakes are gross."

"You're gross," Wybie countered.

"You're grosser," Coraline scowled.

"You're grotesque."

"You smell!"

"You're face makes babies cry!"

"You're face makes puppies cry!"

"Puppies can't cry, _Coraline_."

"Well then I guess you're pretty gross then, _Wybourne."_

"Well, you--" Wybie turned around as he heard his name. "Grandma," he muttered. He turned to Coraline, all signs of aggression gone, "gotta go."

"Later, Snail Boy!" Coraline called as he mounted his motorbike.

"See you at school, Jonesy!"

Coraline felt fur against her legs and looked down, relieved to see it was only Cat. His blue eyes looked up at her, and she just smiled.

"Looks like you're bunking with me tonight, Cat. Try to cut back on the birds on the windowsill this time."

Cat gave a noncommittal mew, showing that he was making no promises.

* * *

**This WILL have a nice, Coraline-ish plot, y'know? Just don't want to rush into it quite yet.**


	2. Chapter One: Look Right Through Me

**I don't like this chapter as much. There, I said it.**

**There will be a song for every chapter save for the prologue. Yay.  
**

**

* * *

**_Children waiting for the day they feel good  
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday  
And I feel the way that every child should  
Sit and listen, sit and listen  
Went to school and I was very nervous  
No one knew me, no one knew me  
Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson  
Look right through me, look right through me_

_**-Mad World, Tears For Fears**_

* * *

If Coraline thought the town of Ashland was boring in general, she quickly changed her mind as soon as she saw the school, Ashland Academy. This place looked about as boring and dingy as it could be. The very small school had been separated into smaller buildings that probably held three or four classrooms each. Each of the buildings was marked with a letter, from A to J, save for a building at the front that was slightly larger than the rest. Coraline assumed this was the front office.

"Coraline," her mother's voice interrupted her thoughts, "you have to get out sometime."

"That remains to be seen," Coraline muttered, pulling up the hood of her raincoat and putting her gloves on as slowly as possible. She didn't want to leave the heated car when all the outside world had to offer was more rain.

"Coraline," Coraline winced as her mother used that "mom-tone" for: "if you don't get out of this car right now, I'll kick you out and change the locks before you get home".

Okay, maybe not quite that extreme, but Coraline didn't feel like taking the chance.

"Have a good day," Coraline's mother called before her daughter closed the door, "I'll see you at three-thirty!"

"If I survive," Coraline murmured to herself.

Trudging through the downpour that was not rare in Ashland, Coraline entered the front office and shook her blue hair, as it had somehow managed to get wet even with her hood on. Looking around, she discovered that on the inside, the office looked almost like a normal school office. But then again, most school offices were boring on their own, anyway.

Coraline glanced towards the only secretary there and walked over, waiting impatiently as the woman finished her phone call. Fidgeting quietly as she often did, Coraline rapped her fingers on the desk idly, a habit she had picked up from her mother. Her thoughts wandered slightly on that subject; she knew where she got her eyes from, and her odd habits, but sometimes wondered how she got stuck with blue hair.

Only when the secretary cleared her throat did Coraline realize that the lady had said something and was waiting for a reply.

"Uh…what?" She asked, inwardly slapping herself for sounding so dumb.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked.

"Uh…yeah," Coraline went over what she was supposed to say, "I'm a transfer student and I need to get my schedule."

"Name?"

"Coraline Jones," as an afterthought, she added, "that's Coraline, by the way."

"Right," the secretary sounded indifferent, "Jones…" She muttered as she flipped through a big wad of files, "right here."

"Thanks…" Coraline sounded indifferent too, if only to counter the secretary's apathy.

"Class starts at eight forty-five," the woman called after her as she left the office. Coraline didn't look back.

Glancing over her schedule, Coraline groaned. First was math, then science, then English and then…gym.

As if this day couldn't get any more depressing.

Glaring down at her dingy gray uniform, Coraline's eye twitched. There had to be a law against forcing girls to wear skirts against their will; she'd look it up in the constitution if the thing didn't bore her to tears.

A tap on the shoulder jolted Coraline out of her inner griping, and she turned around to see…nothing. She sighed and turned back around, only to come face to face with a grinning Wybie.

"Gotcha, didn't I? Admit it, Jonesy, you had no idea." He snickered. Before she replied, she got a good look at him. It was so weird to see Wybie without his mask or striped coat.

"Jerk!" Coraline tried to keep the laugh out of her voice as she punched him in the arm. "Don't do that!"

"But I'm so good at it," Wybie smirked, "like a ninja."

"A ninja? Come on." Coraline rolled her eyes, "I've seen elephants that can sneak up on people better than you."

"How could you have seen them if they're so sneaky?"

Coraline paused, "there are things I know that you will never comprehend," she told him smugly.

"Oh well gee," Wybie said, sarcasm dripping from his words, "forgive me for insulting your greatness, _Caroline_." That earned him another punch in the arm.

"Shut up, you know my name," She smirked, "do you want me to hit you again?"

"What does it matter?" Wybie asked, "you'll hit me whether or not I say it right."

Coraline put her hand to her chin in thought, "yeah. You're right."

"I often am."

Before the bell rang that morning, Wybie had been the recipient of three punches to his left arm. As he and Coraline headed to class, he rubbed his arm once more and muttered to her, "do you think you could use the other arm sometime? I'm getting a bruise."

"The day is still young," Coraline smirked, "we'll see."

* * *

"Sean Jacobs?"

"Here!"

"Nicole Jefferies?"

"Present."

"Caroline Jones?"

Coraline bit back an angry groan, "It's Coraline."

"My apologies, Ms. Jones," Mr. Hawthorne didn't sound all that sorry, but Coraline just sat back in her chair with a sigh, not paying attention to the rest of the names.

"Wybourne Lovat?"

"Here," Wybie said from next to her. He didn't sound too excited about math class, and Coraline wasn't surprised. Wybie was more interested in mechanics, and other sciencey stuff like that. She knew this because he took every opportunity he could to talk to her about it, whether she liked it or not.

Coraline zoned out as Hawthorne called the very last name on the list. Only when Wybie elbowed her did she realize that the man was actually starting to be a teacher and, you know, teaching.

"Well, as your first teacher of the day, it is my job to inform you new sixth graders of the rules and policies of our school. This will be nothing like your elementary school, children; this school is grades six through twelve, and you as, the bottom of the proverbial food chain, will need to, as you say, "get with the program" as soon as possible if you want to pass the sixth grade and up the school ladder."

Coraline and Wybie exchanged a dumbfounded glance before turning back to Mr. Hawthorne.

"Now, it is my happy duty to inform you that you will not get by in this class without doing the work, and doing it well. Mathematics is a skill you will use all your life. Far be it from me to deprive you of such a skill."

"Perish the thought," Coraline muttered quietly.

"But, as procedure dictates, I should do the usual exercise of letting you all get to know each other."

"Mr. Hawthorne, there's only one elementary school in town. Everyone already knows everybody." Said a boy from the back.

"Now, now, we mustn't make assumptions, Mr. Gordon. I know there are a couple of new students this year."

Coraline tried to slump as far down in her chair as she could without making it too obvious.

'Don't call on me don't call on me don't call on me.'

"Ms. Jones," Darn it darn it darn it, "I recall seeing your name on the transfer list."

"Really now?" Coraline said, slowly sliding herself back up into her chair, "what a coincidence."

"Would you like to tell us about yourself?"

"Not really," she answered cheekily.

Coraline could have sworn she saw the man roll his eyes before going back to the board to write down some fairly simple problems. As bad at math Coraline was, even she thought they were easy. Wybie wasn't done when she finished, but it was clear that he was purposely doing it slowly, for reasons she wasn't aware of.

Peering over his shoulder, she saw that he was about to write down a number and smirked.

"Wrong," she whispered.

Wybie shoved her playfully, "shut up."

"Telling me to shut up doesn't make it any less wrong," Coraline teased.

"Because it's already right," Wybie countered.

"What do you know about math, Wybourne?"

"More than you, Coraline."

"Wanna bet?"

"Jones, Lovat," Mr. Hawthorn called from his desk, "forgive me if I'm wrong but that doesn't seem like work."

"Sorry," both kids said in unison. Coraline turned back to her paper and decided to doodle a bit. Only moments later, Wybie looked over shoulder.

"You got number five wrong." he whispered.

Obliging to his previous request, Coraline punched his right arm this time.

* * *

After math, Coraline had science, the only class she did not share with Wybie, as he apparently got in to some advanced class. Science was basically the same boring stuff she had learned in fifth grade, so she once again zoned out. She wondered how many times she would have to correct people about her name until they finally got it right. She hoped it wouldn't be more than a week, unlike her last school. Because she was off in her own little world, Coraline did not notice the boy across from her staring at her intently, his unblinking not wavering once until the lunch bell rang.


	3. Chapter Two: Be My Escape

**How about a few review replies before we start?**

**I'm only answering the ones that have asked me questions, though. If you haven't but still reviewed, the much thanks to you.**

**SilvaGirl: Honestly? This takes place after the movie, and -!-SPOILER-!- I assume other Wybie is no more. Y'know? Poor thing.**

**Purple Moonshine: Indeed, this section will be (hopefully) alive with CxW fanfics. And yeah, you're totally right. I would LOVE to write a nice, romantic story but...they're _eleven _so...not gonna work. XD**

**All other reviewers: Woah. I didn't expect many reviews. XP I love you all.  
**

**Now...ONWARD.  
**

* * *

_I'm giving up on doing this alone now  
Cause I've failed and I'm ready to be shown how  
He's told me the way and I'm trying to get there  
And this life sentence that I'm serving  
I admit that I'm every bit deserving  
But the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair_

_**-Be My Escape, Relient K**_

* * *

"I can't believe you're scared of macaroni and cheese."

Coraline poked at the gelatinous mass of noodles and what she hoped was real cheese, "is that what this is?"

Wybie nodded, "it's what it said on the menu."

"Did it say anything about it coming to life and eating your family?" Coraline asked, "because it looks suspicious to me."

"I haven't heard anything about sentient pasta, but when I do you'll be the first to know," Wybie smirked.

"Scoff if you must," Coraline said snidely, "but I swear to God this thing is breathing."

"You're exaggerating," Wybie sighed, though Coraline noticed that he hadn't touched his lunch either. The lunchroom at Ashland Academy was loud and messy. No matter how clean it was before the sixth and seventh graders came for lunch, within the first second, there was a stain on the floor. Some believed evil spirits were the cause, one that wanted to smite the janitors, but Coraline thought the cause was beyond that of which the human mind could fathom. Well, the eleven year old mind.

"You really should take pills," Coraline carried on, "for your know-it-all syndrome."

"There's no such thing as know-it-all syndrome," Wybie retorted.

Coraline gave him a pointed stare, "oh, well you would know, wouldn't you?"

"Shut up."

"You shut up."

"I told you to shut up first."

"I told you second."

"I win."

"You do not!"

"Ahem," both kids stopped bickering at the sound of a new voice. Had Coraline paid any attention, she would have noticed that this was the boy from her science class, "can I sit here?"

"Uh…" was all Coraline and Wybie managed to say. They were a bit embarrassed to have been caught in another one of their senseless arguments, and something about this guy made them both feel weird in different ways.

Wybie immediately sensed something off about this guy, having gained sharp analytical skills from all his experiments and inventing. He was able to tell when something wasn't quite right.

Coraline, on the other hand, couldn't seem to take her eyes off this boy. She couldn't pinpoint why, but there was an odd feeling in her stomach that had been set off by his arrival.

"Are you guys…okay?" The boy asked warily.

"Huh?" Coraline snapped out of her daze, "uh, yeah, sure. Sit."

The boy nodded, and Wybie cast him one more suspicious glance before poking at the glob of 'food' on his try. He'd try to eat it if he didn't think it would kill him.

"So…" The new boy said, "I'm Sebastian."

"Coraline," Coraline told him.

"Wybie," Wybie continued to look at him suspiciously, but he made it less obvious now.

He had no idea why, but the way that kid looked at Coraline made Wybie's skin crawl.

* * *

"You're gonna fall, Jonesy."

"I am not," Coraline replied as she stepped precariously over the stepping stones of the creek, which was located not too far from the Pink Palace apartments.

"I'm not rescuing you if you do," Wybie continued, lifting up a rock on the bank and looking under it. Wybie wanted to look for snakes, of course, after he'd given up on Super Snail, who died shortly after Cat chewed on him. But, if the boy had gone to look for snakes, Coraline wouldn't have joined him, and he enjoyed her company more than he wanted a snake. Besides, frogs were interesting too.

"I wouldn't need you to rescue me," Coraline stuck her tongue out at him before hopping to the next stone, "especially not from a five inch deep creek."

"Five and a half inches, approximately." Wybie corrected her.

"Well sorry," Coraline said sarcastically, "Have I offended thee?"

"Not yet," Wybie didn't look up as he looked down in the creek, "keep going and I won't give you a ride to school tomorrow."

"Oh, how disappointing," Coraline jumped to the next stone and then onto the opposite bank, "I don't get to ride your screaming metal death trap."

"It's not a death trap," Wybie said defensively, "would I ride it if it was?"

"Yeah."

Wybie realized she was right and fell silent.

"Anyway," Coraline went on, "what do you think of that new kid?"

Wybie stiffened, "I dunno," he said evasively, "don't really know him."

"Yeah, me neither," Coraline admitted, "but he doesn't seem that bad. He's not always talking and shoving bugs in my face like this other guy I know."

Wybie held back a grin, "I happen to know that having bugs shoved in your face builds character."

"According to my dad, everything builds character," Coraline lowered her voice in an impression of her father, "Go shovel the snow, it builds character, go prune that tree, it'll build character. The food is too spicy, you say? Think of it as a challenge. The prize is character."

Wybie couldn't hold back his laughter any longer.

"I'm totally serious!" Coraline, in spite of herself, was laughing as well, "I've apparently got character coming out of my--woah!"

Just as Wybie had predicted earlier, Coraline slipped off the smooth, wet stone she was standing on and splashed into the creek.

"Coraline!" Wybie stood up immediately, and sighed when he saw she was all right. Her hair and clothes were sodden, though, and she looked severely ticked off. Wybie kept his mouth shut, desperately holding in an "I told you so". He reached out his hand to help her up, and, surprisingly she didn't pull him down to the ground this time. Coraline looked down at her soaked clothes and groaned.

"My parents are gonna be so ticked…" she muttered, "mom told me not to play around here anymore."

"Just tell her you were out building some character," Wybie smirked. This time he was able to dodge her impending whack to his arm.

* * *

**You have not seen the end of Sebastian. If only you could see what I have in store...**


	4. Chapter Three: The Last Good Thing

**-Banging head on keyboard- This. Chapter. Sucks.**

**The problem is I KNOW of all the awesome stuff I'm gonna do for the climax, but there's some boring stuff that's hard for me to write that has to happen before I can get to that...**

**So bear with me, please.**

**

* * *

**_You need him. I could be him...  
I could be an accident but I'm still trying.  
That's more than I can say for him._

Where is your boy tonight? I hope he is a gentleman.  
Maybe he won't find out what I know: you were the last good thing about this part of town.

_**-Grand Theft Autumn, Fall Out Boy**  
_

**

* * *

  
**

On the second day of school, Coraline was just as bored as ever. Science class was the worst of all, seeing as Wybie was currently her only friend.

Well, there was that new guy…

Speaking of him, every time Coraline looked up he turned his head, as though he had been looking at her. Coraline raised an eyebrow, feeling mildly weirded out.

It was only when the teacher, Mrs. Cabot, told the class to split up into pairs that Coraline began paying attention. Mrs. Cabot had a voice that sounded like the engine on Wybie's bike. Plus, she laughed at her own jokes.

"Hey," Coraline jumped when she heard his voice. Sebastian Abaddon was looking down at her, looking nervous, "you, uh, wanna be partners?"

"Sure," Coraline said after a moment. As he sat down, an awkward silence stretched over them until Coraline finally admitted, "I don't know what we're supposed to be doing."

"You weren't paying attention?" Sebastian guessed. Coraline nodded sheepishly. Sebastian laughed, his black bangs falling into his eyes. Coraline scowled.

"It's not funny!"

"You're right, you're right…" Sebastian had to struggle to stop laughing, but after a few moments he turned serious again. "Now, we're converting units of measurement."

"The metric system," Coraline groaned, "we don't even use that here."

"Well, I would assume they are trying to make the next generation of Americans less dumb."

"Good luck," Coraline sighed, and Sebastian laughed again.

"I'm sorry," he said after a moment.

"No, that was actually supposed to be funny." Coraline glanced at him oddly. She shrugged, guessing by his dark skin and slight hint of an accent that he was just foreign or something.

"Anyway," she swept on, "first we have to convert six decameters in kilometers. Okay, who uses decameters anyway? I don't think they even use 'em in Europe."

"Maybe Japan?" Sebastian supplied. Coraline shrugged.

"Then why don't they send these worksheets over to Japan?"

"I wouldn't know."

This pointless conversation carried on through the whole class, and only when the bell rang did Coraline realize that they hadn't even answered the first question. Not exactly the best start to the new school year, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to care.

* * *

Wybie felt sick to his stomach, and it wasn't because of the cafeteria food, either.

No, he was slumped in his chair, watching that Sebastian kid and Coraline talking away about nothing. It wasn't anything important, anyway, but Wybie couldn't help but feel steamed as he watched them. At least when Coraline talked to him, it was about something. It was only when they argued that their subject of conversation dissolved into nonsense.

Wybie had no idea why just watching them talk was making him so irritated. He didn't care who Coraline talked to, and he had been prepared for her to make new friends this year and not want to see him; but he didn't expect that stuff to happen so soon, and he didn't expect it to make him mad.

When Sebastian suddenly got to the subject of exactly what shade of blue Coraline's hair was, Wybie felt like he was going to barf. Could this guy make it any more obvious that he liked Coraline? He was flirting with her, that was for sure, and Wybie couldn't watch them anymore.

"I'm gonna go outside," he said abruptly, "see you later, Jonesy."

Coraline looked at him curiously before nodding, "well, okay Wybie. See you later."

Dumping his lunch tray in the trash can, Wybie was almost out of the cafeteria when he felt as though someone was staring at him. Turning around, he saw Sebastian Abaddon himself giving him a cold stare. This wasn't what surprised Wybie the most.

It was as though Sebastian's irises had filled out his entire eyes, covering the whites. His eyes had been brown when Wybie had last seen him, but now they were wholly and completely black. Coal black.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Cat, there is something seriously wrong with that guy."

Cat jumped down from the windowsill and gave Wybie a curious glance. Jumping up on the bed to sit next to him, Cat meowed.

"He was glaring at me, and his eyes were black. Just completely black, and at first I thought it was a trick of the light but there was no way."

Cat hissed, and for a moment Wybie almost believed he was really listening. The feline pawed at Wybie's shirt, as though waiting for him to say more.

"And he was just staring at me, like he was gonna eat me! And Coraline doesn't notice a thing wrong with him, and she always knows when something weird is going on."

Wybie stood up and paced, remembering the events that had happened after lunch.

"And when we were in English, she was completely out of it. I told her that her hair was on fire and, and I got nothing. And she was wearing this weird locket too. Probably something Sebastian gave her." Wybie spit out the boy's name like it was a curse.

If Wybie was looking at Cat, he would've noticed that his eyes were wider than normal. When Cat sprang off the bed and out of the room, Wybie watched him go with wide eyes.

"Cat? Where are you going?" Wybie would have followed if his grandmother hadn't called him for dinner at that exact moment.

"He'll come back," Wybie told himself.

* * *

The plain black cat leaped towards the Pink Palace Apartments at an amazing pace, climbing up the ledges outside of the house until he came to a familiar window. Looking inside, a low terrified sound rose in his throat as he looked at the necklace on top of Coraline Jones' dresser.

_'She's not going to give up on this, is she?' _Cat thought angrily.

On the dresser sat a black locket, engraved to look like a small, black button.


	5. Chapter Four: Can't Figure It Out

**Just little bit of plot-moving fluff before we get into the good stuff.**

**After the last chapter, I thought I owed you guys another installment. I like this one a little better.**

**

* * *

**_It never crossed my mind at all.  
It's what I tell myself.  
What we had has come and gone.  
You're better off with someone else.  
It's for the best, I know it is.  
But I see you.  
Sometimes I try to hide  
What I feel inside,  
And I turn around.  
You're with him now.  
I just can't figure it out._

_**-A Little Too Not Over You, David Archuleta**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

The next day Wybie had decided to take the plunge.

He had to tell Coraline what he thought was going on, what he thought Sebastian was up to. She had been hanging out with that kid for at least a week now. Though they didn't exclude Wybie from any of their conversations, he avoided them both, both because he knew Sebastian was no good, and because just looking at them both together made him feel sick for a reason he couldn't comprehend. The only thing he knew he had to do was talk to Coraline as soon as possible.

When he met up with Coraline on the walk to school, he went over what he was going to tell her in his head once more. His mood slightly dampened when he caught sight of that stupid locket, he began.

"Hey Jonesy, can I tell you something?"

When Coraline turned to him, he was shocked. Her skin looked so much paler then before, making her freckles stand out even more. Her eyes looked rather dull and tired, but when she spoke to him she sounded the same as ever.

"Yeah, sure." She said, absently brushing back a strand of hair that had been caught in her mouth.

Slightly taken aback by her appearance, Wybie blurted out, "oh man, you look awful."

"Yeah thanks. Girls love hearing that." Coraline said sharply. Wybie felt a bit relieved that she still acted the same.

"Sorry, I just…" The boy shook his head, "anyway, it's about that Sebastian guy."

Coraline stopped walking, "what about him?"

"…I don't trust him."

Coraline raised and eyebrow, "what?"

"I just…I've noticed some really weird things about him, and the way he looks at you…He looks at you like you're something to eat. And that locket…and you and…" All that rehearsing what he was going to say had apparently gone to waste.

"What are you talking about?" Coraline looked bewildered.

"I just told you what I'm talking about!" Wybie was growing frustrated.

"I don't understand, Wybie."

"What didn't you understand?" Wybie looked back at her, "because I can start over--"

"I don't understand why you're telling me this," Coraline clarified for him.

"Because it's true!"

"Wybie I respect that you don't trust him, but I do. You don't even know him!"

"You barely know him!"

"I know him more than you do, and I really thought that was okay with you! Remember how you told me that I was going to make knew friends? You were okay with that then, why aren't you now?!"

"Because I didn't know you're first friend might be some soul-sucking monster!" Wybie couldn't keep himself from shouting. He really wanted her to understand.

"Wybie, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were jealous," Coraline said, a steely note in her voice. She shook her head as though trying to clear the conversation from her mind, "look, I'll see you at school."

"Coraline, you're not listening to me!" Wybie called after her as she began to walk away. She turned around instantly, her eyes burning.

"Really?!" She shouted, "you'll have to let me know what the feels like!"

Wybie could do nothing but watch her walk away. After her silhouette faded completely, he looked down at his feet.

"Good going, Lovat." He told himself savagely, "you just blew it. You totally blew it."

As he slowly walked to school, knowing full well he was probably going to be late, one of Coraline's shouts had stayed in his mind.

_"Wybie, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were jealous."_

* * *

Wybie sat on his bed that night, staring at his ceiling, counting the cracks until he just couldn't bring himself to do anything more than wallow in his own misery. Nothing in his life made any sense anymore.

Problem number one: Coraline's new friend was some sort of monster.

Problem number two: Coraline no longer wanted anything to do with him, the silent treatment he had faced all day was proof enough of that.

Problem number three, the most confusing one: Coraline thought he was jealous of Sebastian. The real problem was…maybe she was right.

Now, Wybie's scientific mind couldn't fathom this feeling. The burning in the pit of his stomach he felt when he saw her and Sebastian together, the warmth he felt when he himself hung out with her. These thoughts were completely illogical, implausible, and absurd. The only conclusion a normal person would come to was that he liked her. This was, of course, impossible.

Wybie Lovat did not like Coraline Jones. Not in that way.

Did he?

As he looked at Cat, lying on his chest and gazing at him intently, Wybie was glad that he was there just so he wouldn't be talking to himself.

"I tried to tell her Cat," Wybie sighed, "honest, I did. So, if she doesn't want to believe me, it shouldn't matter to me anymore."

Cat blinked.

"So _why_ do I still care? She doesn't want anything to do with me anymore, so why should I care so much?"

Cat licked a paw and drew it over his ear before letting out a quiet mew.

"I know she's _my_ friend," he said, as though answering Cat's unspoken question, "but I'm not_ her_ friend anymore. So now she's out with that Sebastian kid and I'm here on my bed, pretending my cat can talk."

If Wybie didn't know any better, he would've though Cat had rolled his eyes.

"I know what you're thinking," Wybie groaned, "you think I like her, don't you?"

Cat just purred.

"Well I don't," Wybie sad firmly, "I don't…think I do…"

It was at that thought that something clicked in Wybie Lovat's mind. His widened and he cursed silently before groaning aloud.

"Oh geez."

Wybie having a crush on Coraline Jones was impossible, illogical, implausible, and absurd.

But it was true.


	6. Chapter Five: You Should Have Killed Me

**This chapter is a bit shorter than the rest, but I couldn't think of any more to add that wouldn't make it drag on and on and on...**

**So...now we're getting somewhere, guys.**

**

* * *

**_I walked into your house this morning  
I brought the gun from our end table  
Your blood was strewn across the walls  
They'll find you on your bathroom floor when I'm done  
But should I write it all off?_

You should have killed me when you had the chance

_**-You Should Have Killed Me When You Had The Chance, A Day To Remember**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

Coraline Jones had never gone to bed so angry.

She was angry at Wybie, that much she was sure of. How could he be so immature? Was it just impossible fro him to accept that she had another friend too? She thought Wybie was her friend, and that he would understand.

'_But he _didn't,_' _she told herself, _'what kind of friend is that? And him complaining about how _I _wasn't listening to _him? _He's just so…'_

There were no words to describe how she felt, so, grabbing her pillow and pressing it against her face she groaned loudly, frustrated and still very angry. Deep down, she knew that it wasn't just Wybie she was angry at. She was angry at herself, too.

Coraline hadn't understood anything Wybie had been trying to tell her, but somehow it made her mad. She hadn't wanted to shout at him, but she couldn't help herself.

If this was puberty, it really, really sucked.

Glancing down at the locket, she was wearing, she sighed. She was so tired, but she had to get up to take it off before she went to bed, lest it break while she slept.

As soon as the menial task was done, Coraline checked to make sure the window was only slightly open, just in case Cat decided to show up during the night. Besides, there were still a few nights left before the weather would turn cold for autumn.

Coraline fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit her pillow, all the sounds outside quickly becoming fuzzy and indistinguishable.

Only when a cold hand was placed over her mouth did Coraline realize that something was amiss, and let out a muted scream as she was wrenched out of her bed and taken somewhere she couldn't recognize, her blurry, sleepy vision doing her no favors.

Neither her captor nor Coraline herself noticed the glowing blue eyes that witnessed it all.

* * *

Cat quickly climbed through Coraline's open window, scanning around for any signs of what exactly was going on. If he was going to do anything, he needed to know what to do, and how to do it. Padding around the girl's room, he discovered muddy footprints and shreds of grass. It hadn't been raining that day, Cat knew, so there was only one place where there would be mud.

The old well.

'_That's impossible. There is no way that anyone could have gotten the key…'_

Despite how much Cat wanted to deny the possibility, all of these clues added up to one thing.

The Beldam had taken her back.

Jumping on top of the dresser, cat grabbed the only item that could help: that accursed locket. Picking it up in his teeth, Cat climbed back out the open window and towards a familiar house.

Cat could do nothing to save Coraline from this captor, not alone. And he knew someone who would be willing to help.

* * *

When Coraline finally came to her senses she only knew too well where she was.

This place looked like her house, exactly like it, but Coraline wasn't fooled this time. Looking around, she tried in vain to stand up. A strong, booted foot kept her pinned to the wall, and she looked up to see Sebastian. Only, this Sebastian looked different.

His eyes were completely black, so dark that they looked soulless and empty. His skin was paler, and the crooked grin he gave her was full of malice.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," even his voice sounded distorted, "did I frighten you?"

"Let. Me. Go." Coraline said firmly, giving him a powerful glare, "why are you doing this?"

"Because I'm supposed to," Sebastian said simply, "mother said."

Coraline's blood ran cold, "she's…"

"Alive? I suppose," Sebastians grin faltered only slightly, "only just, but she gets stronger every day, as do I."

"Who…_What _are you?" Coraline asked, trying to keep her face neutral.

"You don't know?" Now Sebastian's eyes narrowed, "you don't know even when _you _are the sole reason I exist?"

"What are you--" Coraline gasped as Sebastian picked her up by the shoulders and slammed her forcefully against the wall.

"_You _are the one that got away, Coraline Jones. Mother hates to lose. Mother hates that you won her game, she hates _you, _you wicked child!" Sebastian's voice grew louder with every word.

"Do you know what mother does when she feels so much hate, malice, and pain? You don't know. I'll tell you." Sebastian leaned in, close to Coraline's face, "she gives it a _body._"

Coraline tried to speak, but the words were stuck in her throat. If she could have screamed, both in pain and fear, she probably would have.

"Do you understand now, child? _I _am one of her living dolls, the very embodiment of her _hate, _of her rage, and _you _are the reason I exist. My only purpose is to make sure you pay.

"So I suppose I ought to thank you, Coraline Jones." Sebastian suddenly threw Coraline against the opposite wall, his expression twisted in rage,. Ignoring Coraline's gasp of pain, the monstrous boy continued, "thank you for this patchwork body! Thank you for this incomplete life! _Nothing _will ever match my gratitude, Coraline! Not even my _hate._"

Pinning her to the wall once more, Sebastian's wicked, mocking grin returned. His rancid breath choked Coraline, almost to the point where she couldn't breathe at all. Searching this being's soulless eyes, she could almost feel the painful pangs of rage emanating from his body. Before Coraline could catch her breath, Sebastian let her drop to the ground, and he loomed over her threateningly.

"Think of this as a gift, Coraline, another adventure. The only difference, of course, is that you _won't _be getting away this time._"_


	7. Chapter Six: Go Figure

**The chapters are shorter now...because I like the suspense and stuff, I guess. Shorter doesn't always mean crappy. Sometimes it's better that way.**

**

* * *

**_Not everything is what it seems  
It's never just one meaning  
When life starts making sense  
The world is upside down again_

_**-Go Figure, Everlife**_

_**

* * *

**_Wybie Lovat had finally been forced awake, and had the scratch marks to prove the effort it had taken to achieve this feat.

"All right Cat," the boy yawned, "what is it?"

Cat just jumped in Wybie's lap, still holding the locket in his teeth. Placing his paws on Wybie's chest, the feline practically shoved it in his face.

"Coraline's locket…" Wybie murmured, taking it out of Cat's teeth, "why'd you bring me this?"

Cat just pawed at it once more, a low meow emanating from him.

"Open it?" Wybie had no idea how he could so clearly understand Cat's actions, "okay…"

As soon as Wybie open the locket, he swore his heart just stopped.

In the panel of the locket where one would normally place a picture. There was a blurry, blue-toned image, a _moving _image that depicted Wybie's worst fear. Sebastian was with Coraline, and he didn't look so friendly anymore. All Wybie could make out was that Sebastian had grown into some monstrous form, and that he had hurt Coraline, judging by the way she was holding her arm.

Rage rose like bile in his throat, and Wybie's grip on the locket tightened. When he finally tore his gaze away, he noticed the other panel of the locket, a plain silver plate that was engraved with smaller words that Wybie could barely make out.

_Remember the story of Snow White._

Before he could figure what that was supposed to mean, cat tugged on his shirt urgently, pulling his attention away from the locket completely. Cat bounded out of Wybie's room and downstairs, and he could guess that Cat wanted Wybie to follow him. Grabbing his jacket, Wybie raced out after his cat, which seemed to be heading to Coraline's house.

Wybie seemed to realize that Cat's plan was flawed when his pet finally stopped in front of the Pink Palace. Cat paced around the front door of Coraline's apartment, as though waiting for Wybie to move.

"It's midnight! How am I supposed to get in there?" Wybie hissed at Cat, who hopped up to the roof, snuck in through an open window and, after a moment, _unlocked the front door._

Wybie just stared wide eyed at Cat, "I knew you were pretty smart for a cat but…" he couldn't find anymore words.

Cat hissed impatiently, and Wybie, coming to his senses, followed him into the house, hoping no one would see him and call the police. Cat led him into the living room, and growled at something as soon as he did. Looking around to see what cat was staring at, Wybie saw the small door that Coraline had told him about not too long ago. What frightened him was that it was open a crack, and a shiny black key was in the lock.

Wybie froze, the memories of all the stories Coraline told her after he had saved her coming back in a flash. The place behind that door was horrible, she had said, dangerous. Now he was supposed to go get her…?

Wybie's eyes became determined. Stuffing to black locket into his jacket pocket, he knelt down, opening the door completely. Shivering as he saw a long, glowing tunnel thick with spider webs and bugs, he closed his eyes and braced himself for what he was about to do.

"I wouldn't do this for anyone but you, Coraline."

And with that, Wybie Lovat vanished into the terrifying portal.

* * *

Sebastian was growing frustrated.

"You don't know when to quit, do you?" He snarled. No matter how hard he hit Coraline, no matter what he did, she would _not _admit any sort of defeat. Her defiant glare was still in place, and, though he knew very well that she was frightened, she wasn't letting him win.

Sebastian _liked _to win. He _needed _to win. This girl didn't know what she was getting into.

Coraline held her arm in pain, but her glare didn't waver. The last time Sebastian had wrenched her from the ground he'd done something to her shoulder, not that she'd complain.

"Little girl, this isn't amusing," Sebastian's distorted voice growled, and she was once again reminded of how he had changed. His human form had been reduced to nothing, his now giant, skeletal appearance the only thing left. The Other Mother had looked like a spider, but Sebastian resembled a serpentine monster.

Coraline hated snakes.

"Maybe I should take a different approach…" Sebastian grinned, showing Coraline a mouth full of fangs. Diving towards her, Sebastian's snake-like form coiled around her, completely constricting her. Coraline gasped, which was the wrong thing to do as she found there was no other chance for her to get oxygen. Sebastian squeezed tighter, pleased that he was making progress. Coraline's face, once pale and bloodless, was beginning to turn as blue as her hair. Sebastian ginned that sickly grin once more. Just another minute would do it, he thought. Mother would be very, very pleased.

The only thing Coraline could register now was her inability to breathe, the pounding of her head as Sebastian squeezed tighter and tighter, and so you can imagine her surprise when the constricting stopped suddenly, and Sebastian let out a growl of rage. Turning, Coraline saw only one thing before everything went black.

"Let her _go!" _Wybie Lovat was here to save her.


	8. Chapter Seven: Head Over Heels

**I know this chapter isn't that good. the epilogue will clear a bunch of stuff up, though. Don't worry.**

**

* * *

**_  
I wanted to be with you alone and talk about the weather  
But traditions I can trace against the child in your face  
Won't escape my attention  
You keep your distance fear the system of touch and gentle persuasion  
I'm lost in admiration, could I need you this much  
Oh, you're wasting my time, you're just, just, just wasting time_

Something happens and I'm head over heels  
I never find out till I'm head over heels  
Something happens and I'm head over heels  
Ah, don't take my heart, don't break my heart  
Don't, don't, don't throw it away

_**-Head Over Heels, Tears For Fears**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

Something told Wybie that he should have thought this whole "rescue" plan through more thoroughly.

He didn't know what exactly he had expected, but it didn't include a giant, sickly green snake that looked patched and glued together with needle-like fangs jutting from its jaws.

The snake immediately lunged toward him, and on a reflex Wybie ducked out the way of its angry, thrashing maw.

"How nice of you to come, kid," the being hissed, "I _do _get hungry when I'm on the job."

Despite the distorted voice, Wybie had a pretty good idea who this was. "I knew there was something wrong with you," he muttered.

"Yes, how clever," Sebastian somehow turned his serpentine jaws into a wicked grin, "shame you couldn't do anything about it."

Before Wybie could blink, the snake was inches away from his face, its steaming breath making him gag. Its needle fangs glinted in what little lighting this horrid copy of the Pink Palace possessed.

"You scared, little boy? I'll make you a deal," Sebastian wrapped the lower half of his tail around Wybie and lifted him into the air to face him, "I'll let you leave here with only _minor _damage, if you let me keep the girl and stop being just a pesky little thorn in my side."

As frightened Wybie was, his body shaking and his eyes as wide as dinner plates, he knew what his answer was.

"No deal."

A furious roar erupted in Sebastian throat and he lashed Wybie out against the wall. The boy barely noticed Cat appear next to him.

"Run," the cat said.

"Good idea--" Wybie's eyes widened even more, "did you just--"

"Run!" Wybie didn't need telling twice. He'd ask about the talking-cat thing when he wasn't about to be killed.

"You can try, boy! You and your vermin cannot escape me in my own domain!"

Stopping in a hall when they could no longer hear him clearly, Wybie panted, and then turned to Cat.

"Can you explain all this to me?" He asked.

"Not if you want to get Coraline out of here soon," Cat said seriously, "all you need to know is how to defeat him."

"And do you know how?" Wybie asked hopefully.

"I have an idea, but I'm not exactly sure."

"Well, better let me know now, I don't want to be here for long."

"Neither do I. And if my assumption is right, we won't be."

* * *

Sebastian bared his teeth in the direction the boy and his mangy cat had disappeared in before turning back. They weren't his focus now, he'd find them later. They couldn't really go anywhere, anyway.

Turning back to his prey, Coraline, he growled as he loomed over her. Mother was going to be very happy with him.

The girl was unconscious, which wasn't exactly preferable for him. He'd wanted to watch her scream, watch the light fade from her beautiful eyes, all of what he'd looked forward to since he'd first saw her. But that wasn't the most important thing now. The most important thing was that he had her, and now it was time to finish the job. Opening his lethal jaws, he poised for a killing bite with his sewing needle fangs.

Just in time to be hit in the head with a…was that an umbrella holder?

With a screech of fury, Sebastian turned around to see that accursed boy was back, and looked more determined than ever.

"You are making this harder than it needs to be, boy," he hissed dangerously.

That boy didn't even flinch this time, "you wouldn't kill me."

"You wanna bet?" Sebastian growled.

"Yeah. If I go, so does this," and with that, the boy pulled out.

The locket?

Sebastian bellowed, enraged, and lunged at the boy hungrily. How could he know about that stupid thing…?

"I don't think you want to do that, do you?" the boy had the nerve to _smirk _at him. "See, me and cat figure that even if the Beldam was strong enough to create you, she couldn't sustain you if you went into the real world. She doesn't have enough power for that, so…" He traced the outline of the locket with his fingers, "she gave you something that could. Something that would give you energy for a couple of days until you could put it on Coraline and take _her _energy."

Sebastian offered no reply, and Cat meowed.

"Are we getting warmer?" the feline asked.

"So it stands to reason that, if _this _is destroyed, then so are you." The boy finished.

Sebastian dove at them in pure rage, and Wybie and his cat dodged him with some difficulty. Wybie kept a firm hold on the locket, backing away from the angry serpent to find what he was looking for. He just needed something blunt or sharp. Something he could destroy the damn locket with. He looked up, just in time to see a very angry snake lunging at him. Dodging just in time, Wybie saw Sebastian sink his teeth into the wall that he had been in front of just moments before. He pulled away, leaving some of his huge needle-teeth behind. Wybie's eyes widened.

"This'll work." He muttered, pulling one of the large needles out of the wall with quite a bit of effort. A yowl told him that Cat had seen what he was doing, and was trying to distract the snake.

"Well, let's see if we guessed right, Cat!" Wybie said before plunging the needle into the center of the locket.

A screech of terror and pain erupted from Sebastian, and a magnificent flash of light blinded him for a split second before the snake in front of him fell. Getting up, Wybie saw that it was because Sebastian had been reduced to nothing but stitches and fabric. At least, that's what he saw. He decided not to kick it or check it out any further.

Finding Coraline, Wybie stood over her worriedly. Relieved to see she was still breathing, Wybie sighed.

"Should we wake her?" Cat asked from beside him.

"How?" Wybie looked bewildered.

As soon as he asked the question, the inscription on the locket appeared in his mind once more.

_Remember the story of Snow White._

It clicked in his mind, and he knew what it meant. He looked at Cat, who had seen the locket too, and gulped.

"She is going to hit me _so hard _for this." And with that, Wybie leaned down…

And kissed her. Wybie Lovat had kissed Coraline Jones, and had (so far) lived to tell the tale.

When he pulled away, her eyes fluttered open and they looked at each other silently for a moment before Coraline sat up and wrapped her arms around her friend.

"You found me," she whispered, "I don't believe it."

"I would've looked for you forever, don't you know that?" Wybie told her. He could sense Coraline was smiling even though he couldn't see her face.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"This is all very touching, but we really ought to be going." Cat interrupted, looking at them both and seeming a bit amused.

"Uh, right," Wybie said, helping Coraline up. She winced as he pulled the arm she had hurt, "sorry."

"No, it's fine. Just aches," she assured him.

"Okay," Wybie nodded. He looked at Coraline and then at Cat. "Let's just get out of here."

"Agreed," Coraline seemed a little shaky, but she didn't complain or anything as they made their way to the tiny door. Climbing into it one after the other, they didn't even think about looking back.


	9. Epilogue: Trainwreck

**I've nothing witty to say.**

**

* * *

**_...One more thing I thought I'd share with someone  
special,  
I'm falling like I've never fell before  
It's funny you said we'd never make it, and look how  
far we've come  
You're a train wreck but with you... _

_I'm in love._

_**-Trainwreck, Demi Lovato**  
_

_

* * *

_

"You call that a throw?" Coraline Jones heckled her friend Wybie as she watched the rock he had thrown skip across the stream.

"Let's see you do better," Wybie challenged, handing her a rock. She stuck her tongue out at him before throwing her rock. It skipped about the same number of times before landing on the opposite banks.

"That was no better than mine, Jonesy." Wybie smirked, "you've lost your touch."

"I have not! I'm just bored with this now. Let's do something else."

"Good idea," Wybie conceded, "on my last turn I almost hit Cat."

The cat in question growled slightly from his perch, a tree branch behind them.

"I said I was sorry," Wybie turned to face Cat. He just stared back indifferently.

It had been only three days since Coraline and Wybie's latest "adventure" in the Other world. Since then, Coraline's arm felt better (her shoulder had only been dislocated), but she had been told not to strain it by doing things that involved using it actively. Like, you know, skipping rocks.

The biggest dilemma they had faced was what to do with the key. Hiding it obviously hadn't done much good, so they knew they had to find a way to destroy, and it had taken them awhile to figure out how to do it effectively. They figured if someone could fish it out of a gazillion foot deep well, then they could probably put it back together if it was broken or smashed. They'd decided to burn it and bury the ashes in the Pink Palace garden. Now there was no key to that horrible world, and both Wybie and Coraline were relieved.

Coraline sat down on the bank and after a moment Wybie did the same. It was about noon, so they still had the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday to enjoy the moments of not having to wear a uniform or eating school food. Neither of them knew what they were going to do for the rest of the weekend, but then again, they never did. They were more into spontaneous bursts of ideas and adventures.

"Hey Wybie?" Coraline suddenly burst the silence in between them.

"Hm?" Wybie looked up from a bug he had been looking at idly.

"You remember the other day," she looked at her feet, "when were…there?"

Knowing what she meant by "there", Wybie shuddered. "Yeah…why?"

"Well, I was like passed out for awhile, and you woke me up. Do you remember how?"

Wybie looked back down, hoping to find something to stare at but the bug from before was gone, "uh…well, I wouldn't say I--I…well, not really…no." Wybie wasn't a very good liar.

"Really?" brushing her blue hair out of her eyes, "'cause I think I do."

The color of Wybie's face would've made a tomato seem pale by comparison, "you do?"

"Yeah," she scooted closer to him, and his eyes widened, "I think it sorta went something like this…" she leaned in even closer to his face.

It took a second to register in Wybie's mind. Coraline had kissed him.

"Am I right?" Coraline bit her lip awkwardly.

"Something like that." Wybie smiled.

Silence yawned between them once more as the both looked away, their faces red. On his perch be hind them Cat let out a rumbling purr.

* * *

**The End!  
**

**Many thanks to all you lovely reader folk!**


End file.
